I received the question, “What happens when we die and do I believe in reincarnation? I’m going to interpret the question to be asking what happens at the moment of death rather than what happens after we are dead.
What happens when we die is a question people have been asking literally forever. I don’t know what happens when we die. I’ve never had a near-death experience and I’m still living. I can only share with you what I have come to believe as the result of being around dying and death for so many years and the reading and research I have done.
Years ago I attended a Kenneth Ring weekend workshop of people who have had near-death experiences. One hundred or so people shared of being pronounced clinically dead and revived to tell their story. Kenneth started an organization to support people who have had near death experiences.
Dr. Raymond Moody wrote the book, “Life After Life” in 1975 describing his experience as a heart surgeon with patients he revived and their story of “being dead”. He now has a web site addressing and teaching about near death experiences.
Today we have Eben Alexander, a neurosurgeon sharing his near death experience in “Proof of Heaven”.
Raymond Moody, Kenneth Ring,and Eben Alexander are just three of many publications addressing near-death experiences.
Consistent in near-death experience stories are the following. Some people experience all, most people recall some:
A light brighter than the sun
A sense of moving through a tunnel toward a light
A feeling of bliss, love and joy
A presence offering guidance
Seeing people that have already died
Understanding the motives of your actions through a life review
Observing the activities occurring outside of your physical body
In my workshops I talk about all of us being afraid to die yet frequently I will have someone tell me about their near-death experience and that as a result of that experience they are not afraid to die--because they have and know there is nothing to fear.
It is estimated that millions of people have had these kind of near-death experiences. Aren’t these many people telling us what it is like to die?
Now to the question of do I believe in reincarnation. To me the concept of reincarnation falls under the category of a personal religious belief. A long time ago I made it my policy to stay away from public discussions on politics and religion. Both areas are emotionally charged. I don’t want to have my message about end of life care obscured by someone disagreeing with my political or spiritual beliefs. So thank you for your interest, but I respectfully decline to comment in this format.